Witz Real Estate

This blog is set up for clients, associates, friends, relatives, and myself, to discuss real estate thoughts, questions and get some answers. This blog covers Valencia, Santa Clarita Valley, and Beyond!

Monday, March 19, 2018

Well, it may feel like nonsense, or a game, or the agent wants to double-end the 'deal', but for me, it absolutely is not.

For me? There were two reasons to have my most recent listings' first showing situation be that way.

1) We have a big dog to take out....new carpet too....oh, and the damn weather.

2) Because I knew it was going to get a lot of activity....I'd have less stress on my Sellers if they only had to leave for one, two, or three times vs. the 30 times for all the agents that brought their buyers on Sunday.

Now, mind you....I was exhausted from their crazy open house! But, a few hours of showing off my newest listing, setting up signs, printing out flyers? Worth it to me to keep a stressful time for my sellers a bit less stressful.

I'm not interested in double ending a transaction. I like a buyers agent to represent their clients, and me to represent mine. What's that phrase.....something about degrees of separation? Go Google it, funny stuff about Kevin Bacon!

He was so hot in Footloose!

At any rate, if me holding off agents til an open house makes it better for my Sellers? I'm doing it. I may annoy a buyer or an agent, two or three for that matter. But, my client is what's the most important.

Questions about how I market, sell, and protect my Sellers from the evil stress?

Friday, February 23, 2018

What's happening with inventory in Santa Clarita & how many homes are selling you ask?

Considering I include Acton to the East, Stevenson Ranch to the West, Newhall to the South, and Castaic to the North.....with everything in between as well......we don't have much.

Keep in mind this includes houses, condos, townhouses.....allllllll of them!

ACTIVE as of this moment ~ 429.

(Yep, I love fining pictures that represent the number of active listings!)

PENDING or UNDER CONTRACT ~ 428

SOLD in the last 30 days ~ 219

If you're thinking about Selling, please do it.....now! If you're thinking about buying, get out there and find a home....or two, or three, that you could be happy living in.....you'll likely be writing an offer on more than one!

Tuesday, February 20, 2018

One of my preferred lenders turned me on to a lady that talks about financial ideas, suggestions, options. Needless to say, she is one of the ones that I get an e-mail drip from & I read them start to finish every time.

Today was really good. It reminded me of complaining to my mom about waking up in the middle of the night and stressing about losing sleep. She said.....'It is what it is, don't fret about it. Nothing you can do. Catch up the next night.' Damn, I hate it when mom is right! LOL

But, when I read the info in my e-mail this morning, it was the same sentiment....about inflation....it is what it is and you can't do anything about it.....well you can't stop inflation, but she did, of course, have some suggestions to work with it!

Copy & Pasted directly from her info, of which some was from the New York Times:

"We can all use a little refresher course in inflation at a time like this — and The New York Times complied. Here’s the skinny: Inflation, though it can be frustrating for consumers, is a sign of a strong economy. Last year, the American economy grew 2.3 percent — better than anticipated — and it’s expected to rise 3.2 percent this quarter. This will likely increase the prices on the things we buy every day. How and why? The Great Recession ended in June 2009 (I know it didn’t feel like it ended, but statistically it did), and the U.S. began a slow, plodding recovery. It took until a couple of years ago for wages to begin to tick up. But that’s finally started to happen, and with more money in their pockets, more people are buying more goods and services.

That demand for more goods and services means that more hands on deck are needed to make those goods and produce those services. That increased need for labor pushes wages higher (again, more money in our pockets). But companies that produce the goods and services don’t want to see their margins squeezed, so they raise their prices. And those higher prices get passed along to you.

The inflation rate you read about in the headlines is a measurement of those prices. There is the Producer Price Index (or PPI) — the price that producers charge for their goods and services — and the Consumer Price Index (or CPI) — the prices consumers pay for goods and services. Generally, they move in tandem (although the PPI sometimes moves first). But the CPI is the one used to track increases in the overall cost of living.

Should you be worried about this? There’s nothing you can do about it, so don’t waste your energy. Instead, focus on the moves you can make: locking down your short- and long-term interest rates before they move higher (as the new Fed Chair Jerome Powell has indicated they will). This may mean a balance transfer on a credit card or refinancing your student loan debt. And take the time to make sure you’re capturing the best interest rates as possible on your liquid savings. The best savings rates listed on Bankrate.com are around 1.5 percent (you can get that with no minimum from Goldman Sachs Bank, Synchrony Bank, Dollar Savings Direct and others, although there are also no check-writing privileges). The average savings rate? It's 0.09 percent. Ouch."

Friday, February 16, 2018

Great article in one of my drip feeds this morning. It confirmed what I already know. Having money invested in property for my retirement is better than sitting in the bank, or other straight money investments. IMHO and many others apparently.

I'm the penny-pincher in the family. Husband thinks he isn't the spender, but he is. I'm the one that deals with our financing and is constantly reminding him it's cheaper to eat at home or slice the cheese ourselves than buy pre-sliced packages that are more convenient.

Convenience sure does cost more.

Anywhohow, back on the retirement thoughts. I'm still at least a decade away from that, likely more since I do love what I do, but I am financially planning for our retirement.

And for us, it's all about being mortgage free on 2 properties. So, those dimes I save on slicing my own cheese go to pay those banks off.

The article had lots of info about what generations and what percentages, but it boiled down to that a lot of people think just like me.

One point that I was not surprised to read was about renters with home buying concerns. 28% of them were worried about the home loan process. They are spending too much time googling bad crap about prior lenders. Get in bed with a good one....you'll be fine. And, quite honestly.....if you're too afraid to jump into the mortgage pool....you'll never have your own home to grow that retirement nest egg!

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

When one of my buyers or sellers opens escrow they get an e-mail from me titled "Now That We're Opening Escrow". I tailor it to their particular escrow but include a mountain of information, time-lines, things to expect, do, etc. I've done this so many times, I don't need an e-mail reminder. But, my clients, it helps them have the info all in one place.

Below is one of my last ones for 2017.

This is actually one of the shorter ones I've sent!

I thought you just might be interested, so I'm sharing.

Enjoy the mountain!

"Let the fun begin!

Crossing my fingers the escrow goes smoother than the final offer went!

I've copied in my transaction coordinator, Shannon Pool. Please copy her in on all e-mails.

Official acceptance is today 12/12, 45 day escrow, which we discussed last night about closing early if possible. Once buyer has removed all contingencies, we'll discuss that further. I will chat with agent about it before then, just so she knows that door is open.

Buyer due to remove the loan/appraisal contingency on 12/21, full contingency removal due 12/26. I will be pestering away on those. And, when received, we can all breathe a sigh of relief!

Termite inspection is scheduled for Monday 12/18 @ 11 am. I am planning on being there so I know immediately what the findings are.

Buyers agent will alert me to their physical inspection (got text when I was typing this!) & appraisal as well. I will let you know when they'd like to schedule those. Normally sellers are out for inspection. Normally I meet the appraiser. Nothing is normal with this one though as buyers would love to meet you and there is no bank involved with appraiser...we shall see.

Our escrow company is Valleywide Escrow here in Santa Clarita, you shouldn't have to go there at all. There will be a couple of docs that need notarizing, but you don't need to come here for that. I'll work with you on it. Shannon Gutierrez is our escrow officer, Patty Chicas handles my files there. (661) 286-8700. Your e-mail and phone numbers have been provided to them this morning.

There is a Thousand Oaks city report needed. I'm bringing a check to escrow this afternoon to get that going.

Do not do anything with utilities and/or home insurance until we are further along. Do not cancel home insurance til the day we actually close escrow. About a week before closing you'll contact utilities to have them removed in your name, not cancelled, just your names removed.

I tell all my clients this....you will get a mountain of paperwork, please do not sign anything unless we have discussed. Same note, Shannon Pool will provide the boiler plate seller disclosures that require your signatures only. She uses Docusign. Be on the lookout for those in the next few days.

That's about it for now. I suggest you hang onto this e-mail for reference.

My Real Estate Website:

About Me

Valencia, and surrounding areas, Real Estate Specialist. My job is to find the perfect home for a buyer, the perfect buyer for a seller and to negotiate so that all of my clients are receiving the best service possible from any Realtor. I have worked purely on a referral basis and have received awards annually for my entire career. I am a Santa Clarita resident for over two decades. e-Pro certified. CAR & NAR affiliated.